Thank you to all who particpated in the first CR Grimes Multi-event meet!  The Multi-Event Meet was named in honor of Coach Charlie Grimes, head Men’s and Women’s Track and Field coach at Malone College for the past 11 years.  A former decathlete at Eastern Michigan with a career best score of 6852, he has put his heart and soul into Malone athletics.  His passion for serving God through sport is not only powerful but contagious! 
This year’s competition challenged 3 heptathletes and 7 decathletes.  Day one of the heptathlon proved to be a competitive day from start to finish.  The women posted solid marks and concluded the day with Laura McElrath leading the field with a score of 2272 points.  Day one of the decathlon also proved to be very eventful.  Ages between the men started at 28 with Brian Finney and ended with Denver Smith at age 82!  After two events, Bill Angus led the meet with 300 points over the second place Brian Finney.  At the conclusion of day one, Bill Angus led the field with a score of 3803, a little less than 500 points ahead of Denver Smith. 

Day 2 of the men’s decathlon started with the 110m high hurdles.  This event, along with pole vault, was a true test of the competitor remaining in each man.  Not only strength and flexibility are needed in these events but also determination and the decathlete spirit.  Jim Reinhard demonstrated this as he competed with great efforts after a recent knee surgery.  Pat Ragon and Bill pole vaulted equal heights of 3.1m but were rewarded with scores of different values.  Such is the nature of the Master’s scoring tables.  But the decathletes pushed on.  The throwing events yielded commendable marks as Don Ragon and Brian Finney led the group with record breaking distances.  In the final event, the 1500m run, the name sake of the meet, Charlie Grimes led the final lap to cross the finish line at 5:20.4!  This years men’s division was a competition for the record books.  Winner of the decathlon was Bill Angus with a score of 7439!  Bill is a master’s decathlete and a local Track and Field coach at Salem High School .  Congratulations to all of you for competing and completing the CR Grimes 1st annual decathlon.      

The second day of the women’s heptathlon proved competitive to the final event as well.  Each girl long jumped similar distances but it was Beth Costello, an upcoming sophomore at Malone who won the javelin to widen the gap.  The final 800m run was led and won by Laura McElrath to seal the women’s scores.  Winner of the heptathlon is Laura McElrath with a score of 3619, an alum from Tallmadge High School and 2008 grad from Malone College .

Look for the C. R. Grimes Multi-Event again next year June 12-13, 2009.  See you next year!